How the state solicitor's office support criminals in politically appointed positions (taxpayers money, theft)
How the state solicitor's office support criminals in politically appointed positions, using taxpayers money, disgraceful theft
The law office which normally acts for government departments has agreed to represent a former judge accused of pursuing a sexual relationship with a vulnerable woman who appeared in his court for a family law matter.
The Chief State Solicitors Office (CSSO) is to represent James O’Connor, a retired District Court judge being sued for damages in a civil action.
The development indicates the costs of Mr O’Connor’s defence will be met by the State.
The case involves claims the judge got the woman’s number after hearing her case and abused his position by making contact and pursuing her.
Although no longer on the bench, Mr O’Connor has opted against retaining private legal representation in the personal injuries case, which was filed last June.
The CSSO entered an appearance on his behalf earlier this week.
A constituent element of the Office of the Attorney General, the CSSO usually provides litigation, advisory and conveyancing services to government departments and offices, and some State agencies.
The case against Mr O’Connor is somewhat unique. No current or former judge has faced such claims in a civil action before.
The woman is being represented in the case by solicitors KRW Law.
Her allegations were outlined under Dáil privilege in 2021 and 2022 by People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy.
The TD said the woman had tried everything possible “to get justice”.
Her claims were the subject of a garda inquiry that did not result in a prosecution.
The Garda Ombudsman later found no evidence of gardaí mishandling her complaint.
The Judicial Council told the woman it could not deal with a complaint because Mr O’Connor ceased to be a judge before its investigative powers began last year.
Mr O’Connor retired in 2018 at the age of 66 after his application to continue on the bench for a further year was refused. He had been based in Co Kerry.
In a number of Dáil contributions, Mr Murphy spoke about the woman’s allegations.
The TD said she claimed the judge got her phone number after she appeared before him and then used it to pursue her “in a way that made her scared”.
Mr Murphy alleged the retired judge “abused his position to persistently and completely inappropriately pursue a vulnerable woman who was before his court on a family law matter for a sexual relationship”.
The TD said there was “clearly a repeated pattern of abusive behaviour by James O’Connor”.
“He approached her repeatedly. He got her number and then he persistently pursued her. There are multiple incidents.”
In 2021, then Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there was “a real issue” with how allegations of inappropriate conduct were investigated. He said the woman’s allegations had not been comprehensively dealt with.
But in a later contribution, Mr Martin said while it was legitimate for Mr Murphy to raise the matter, the Government could not interfere in operational garda decisions.
He also pointed out that the powers of the Judicial Council were not retrospective in terms of judges who had retired.
The former judge has never commented on the allegations against him.
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